"Light Magic" Promo Still

A quick post today, I'm still recovering from a long and grand day at Disneyland yesterday!

"Light Magic" I was at Disneyland in 1997 and don't recall seeing this mess at all. I must have been in my "avoid the parade" mode, from what I can tell, that was a good decision.

While "Light Magic" probably didn't photograph to well, it still looks weird and disjointed, Pooh looks a little lost...




Come back tomorrow for Souvenir Saturday Plus a trip report from 9/11 at Disneyland.

Fortnight revisited, November 1954 - Before the attitude....

When we previously visited the “Fortnight” Magazine, it was in August 1955 and they had quite the attitude about the newly opened Disneyland. Some readers described the tone as “Snooty, "Snarky" and even more "Stick-up-their-butt’y!" You can read the August 1955 issue here (link) and decide for yourself.

This issue of "Fortnight", from November 17, 1954, had a much better attitude about “Mickey Mouse’s Fabulous New Playground”.

Interesting how each realm is a “Land” of its own; Adventure Land, Tomorrow Land, etc. “Pirates” in Frontier Land, it will never happen.






“A Paddle Wheel river boat (capacity of 300)” HEY, I thought they didn’t figure out the “capacity” until after the park opened and the Mark Twain almost capsized?

“Passengers can identify the places they are passing; Mt. Vernon, New Orleans, Mobile.”? “Drink root beer at Paul Bunyan’s Bar”? Looks like there were some changes to the plan after this was written.






And for some color, here’s a great ad for Old Sunny Brook Brand whisky. Yup, those guys look just like me and my friends when we go camping: coffee, whiskey, a large ax and fishing poles, ah the good life.

Being 9/11, I decided not to work today, I work in a high-rise building and frankly, it’s just somewhere I’d rather not be today. So “I’m going to Disneyland”, and while I will be having a nice time, I will say a prayer for all those fellow country men and women who lost the lives or loved ones on 9/11. I hope you will do the same.

Magic Mountain August 1973 - Part 1

I recently came across a great set of amateur slides from August 1973 of Magic Mountain in Valencia California. There was only one problem, and its name is MAGENTA! These slides had turned the most vivid shade of magenta I have ever seen. I figured these were beyond repair, but I sent them to my buddy Dave over at Daveland and he was able to restore a great deal of color. Thanks Dave, we all greatly appreciate it!

There are about 25 slides so I will be breaking this series into three parts. I also have some fun stuff to include with each post. Check back on the next two Wednesday s for part’s 2 and 3.

“It’s always best to start at the beginning” so let’s take a look at a pre-opening article in the “Amusement Business” magazine. This is the March 13, 1971 issue. The tower was originally designed (by Intamin) to be the Playboy Club in Chicago, but they passed at the last minute so Magic Mountain bought it.






LOTS of details and data. That’s the Four Winds restaurant being built, the building is still there (with awesome views) but the last time I checked, it was closed. If you want to see a pre-opening brochure and inaugural day ticket, see my earlier post here (link). Magic Mountain would open on May 29, 1971.






A close-up of the Tower. The height scares me, but I will go up next time because there is a great Magic Mountain museum at the top! If you look closely in this photo, you can see people on the lower level. The lower level was screened in, no windows. The lower level is closed to the public now. In the "Playboy" version, this level was going to be the lounge, with the restaurant on the top level.






Taken from the tower, these are the fountains where the “Valencia Falls” spill into. The building in the lower right is the “Coffee Grinder” which is now the “Internet Cafe”. See the popcorn cart in the upper right? They STILL sell popcorn there, wow!






Three neat views of the Valencia Falls. The Falls were turned off recently for a few years as they built Tatsu. They have now been turned back on, see them on my Magic Mountain post from May (link). I sure dig the “MM” flags!







A few views of the Log Jammer. This view shows one of the lift hills and the first drop, the second drop is a blast, not surpassed until Splash Mountain.





More “flume”, some track from the “Gold Rusher” roller coaster on the left and part of the HUGE Show Case Theater on the right.






The Log Jammer as seen through the windows of the “Four Winds” restaurant.






A couple of Souvenir snaps shots. The Wizard and a couple of Trolls in front of the falls.






The Fountains at night.





Here’s a special treat. I posted this 1971 Magic Mountain Wall Map back in April, but I had to stitch it together myself and it was kind of sloppy. Alan over at the fabulous Wishbookweb (link) was kind enough to stitch it together properly from the four scans. The map shown below is my misaligned scan, but the link here is for the corrected version. Thanks Alan! If you've even been to Magic Mountain in the 1970's, be sure to download this map and study it...

1971 Magic Mountain Wall Map High Res. scan – 15mb






Be sure to check back next Wednesday for Part two.

My Junior Passport - September 9, 1980

I was at Disneyland 28 years ago today! Yup, this first ticket was mine. I remember the day well. My friend Robert’s mom supplied the tickets, she drove us to Disneyland in the morning (in her brown ’79 Pinto Wagon) and she came back and got us at night.






My friend’s ticket didn’t age as well as mine. They may be one serial number apart, but apparently he left his ticket on the roof for a couple of decades!






Also from 1980, this is the cover to a great brochure for Disneyland Employees and the “Family Open House” celebration.






Great stuff inside. You guessed it, come back for the entire brochure on Bonus Sunday.






Here's a fun page I dedicate to my “vintage slide” blogger friends, I wonder what’s in those slides???

News From Disneyland - 1971

News from Disneyland! It’s time for Dixieland and All that Jazz! This press release from September 1971 details the 12th annual “Dixieland and All that Jazz” and its six night celebration.







Here is the press guest sticker, it was never used and still looks like it has plenty of that industrial sticky stuff under the peel-away parts on the back.






The description sheet for the press photo of the Mark Twain in full “Dixieland and All that Jazz” get up.






What the heck is strapped to the front of the Mark Twain, bails of hay? And look just to the right of the hay stacks, is that a person wearing a hood or is their back to us? Weird…






Summary of the press event for September 6th, 1971.






Four pages of details, Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Wonder and tons more, wow, what a stellar event!







If you’re still yearning for 1971, check out a couple of my prior posts.

Summer Scene 1971 & 2008






Bonus Sunday Summer 1971 Vacationland.

Bonus Sunday

From Friday's post, here is the complete "Your 1989 Souvenir Guide" to Disneyland.


Disneyland Guide Book 1989 2nd edition - 29mb







Look who's hiding out in a Skyway Bucket!






From Thursday's post, here is the complete "Your 1991 Souvenir Guide" to Disneyland.


Disneyland Guide Book 1991 - 32mb




Four whole pages devoted to Main Street. The more I go to Disneyland the more I hang out on Main Street.






As an extra bonus, here's a neat little brochure from 1991 promoting the Disney Afternoon Live Disneyland tie-in.


Complete Disney Afternoon Live brochure - 17mb

Souvenir Saturday

A simple post for Souvenir Saturday.

This Disneyland Puzzle sure did puzzle me years ago when I first got it. I figured it was some knock-off souvenir and they didn’t even get Tomorrowland right!

However, as I’ve seen and read more about Disneyland history over the past few years, it seems this is from before they even knew what Tomorrowland was going to look like. The “Space Ship” is too cool, the suspended monorail looks a bit like a '53 Desoto however.

Check out the space boy!

See you on Bonus Sunday!

Another Vintage Knott's Map

In this blog’s never ending quest for Knott’s Berry Farm maps, presented today for your inspection is a large Knott’s map from ?? I would place it around 1960, but please let me know if you can get a better date, I sure wish they put a date code on these!

If you missed the prior Maps Knott’s posts and comparisons, you can view them here:

Vintage Disneyland Tickets – Knott’s Maps



All kinds of fun stuff on this map, I sure wish I could have visited the park back then. I see the Dreger Clock (Save the Dreger clock link) in front of Ye Old Candy Shoppe!


Full high resolution scan of the map – 28mb







The back of the map lists all the great shops and things to do and see. If you read thru this, try and imagine what a neat experience this place must have been.


Full high resolution scan of the back – 28mb







A couple of vintage post cards, probably a little older than the map.







And to finish off the post, here’s a great tourist photo from January 1957. Gotta love the lady on the right, the sunglasses, the purse, the skirt, she looks great!

Disneyland Vacation Passports - 1989

Still catching up here at the blog, so this post is two days late.

From September 2, 1989, here is a set of Disneyland Vacation Passports. Presented by the Walt Disney Travel Co., Inc. (A Subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company).







The back side of a Vacation Passport. Note that these have no price listed, they must have been included in a travel package. I’m sure somewhere they told you what a great “Value” you were getting with the package deal.






Here’s a fun “credit card” from the Disneyland Hotel.






This expired 19 years ago today. Wow, you could use this to eat, drink, shop and get your hair cut!







How about another Souvenir Guide? This is a “second edition” 1989 Souvenir Guide, the first edition had cartoon drawing of Splash Mountain with a little note that stated “opening spring 1989”.






The Characters from the rarely seen Song of the South. Don’t you think its’ time to released it on DVD/Blue-ray? Disney could do a special limited edition, they would make a ton of $$$, you’d think the mouse would be happy about that?






Bear County has a new attraction and a new name for the land, Critter Country. The name always reminded me of that silly 70’s sitcom “Carter Country”. This guide is really in great shape and super glossy, make sure to come back on Bonus Sunday for the entire guide.






Was this really 19 years ago?